Airplane jack



' June 5, 1945.

Filed sept. 29, 1943,` 2 sheets-sheet 1 June 5, 1945- F. c. QuLLERs2,377,404

IRPLANE JACK Filed Sept. 29, 1943 2 Sheets-'Shea't 2 Patented June 5,1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- AIRPLANE JACK Floyd C. Cullers,Arcadia, Fla.

Application September 29, 1943, Serial No. 504,307

Claims.

The present invention relates to manually operated trucks adapted forsupporting and moving airplanes into a desired location in a factory orhangar and has for an important object to provide jacking means carriedby the truck for raising the front end of the airplane and supportingthe same while being moved.

A further object is to provide means for simultaneously and'uniformlyraising both front landing wheels of the airplane for supporting thesame in a balanced position on the truck.

Another object is to provide a device of this character of simple andpractical construction, which is strong and durable, efficient andreliable in use, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwisewell adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals refer tolike parts throughout, and

' in which Figure 1 is a front elevational view,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional View,

Figure 3 is a fragment-ary top plan' view, and

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are sectional views taken respectively on the lines 44, 5--5 and 6-6 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose ofillustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention,the numeral '5 designates a frame generally, which is formed of a pairof spaced parallel channel members 6 having their open sides opposed toeach other and connected intermediate their ends by a cross member l,arid also connected at their ends by cross members 8 and 9 to the underside of the latter of which are mounted casters or swivel rollers I Il.Braces extend from the outer ends of the cross members 8 and 9 to theupper edges of the frame members B.

An inverted U-shaped post I2 has its ends suitably secured to the outersides of the frame members 6 and rises from said members with the upperend of the post flattened as shown at I3 and to which is boltedorvotherwise secured a gear housing I4 having a bearing sleeve I5projecting from one side thereof.

Bevel gears I6 and I1 are positioned in the housing in engaged relation,the gear I6 having a shaft I8 journaled in the sleeve I5 and provided atits outer end with a hand wheel I9. The gear Il is secured on the upperend of a screw which extends downwardly from the and 23 for pivotallyattaching anv end of a pair I of lift arms 24 and 25 by pins 2B and 2l.Each of the arms 24 and 25 include telescoping tube sections 28 and 29.

A pair of vslides 30 and 3| extend transversely of the frame and havingupstanding flanges 32 and 33- slidably tted in the channels of the framemembers 6. lA pair of lugs 34 rise from each slide having a pin 36 onwhich one of the tubes 29 is pivoted adjacent its outer end.

The end of each tube -29 projects outwardly beyond the end of the frameand is formed with a vertical slot 31 in which is inserted a flat bar 38having vertically spaced openings 33 for selectively receiving a pin 4|)extending transversely of the tube to secure the bar 38 in verticallyadjusted position. On the upper end of the b-ar 38 is a curved head 4|adapted to form a seat for an axle housing4 42 of one of the from;landing wheels 43 of an airplane, the axle housing at each side of theairplane resting' on one of the heads at the outer end of each lift arm.The heads 4| are provided with recesses 4|' to receive lugs (not shown)usually formed on the housings 42 to prevent slipping of the housingsfrom the heads.

Accordingly in the operation of the device, the heads 4I are placedunder the axle housings of the landing wheels and by manipulation of thehand wheel I5 in a properdirection the carrier block 2| is moveddownwardly causing a lowering movement of the inner ends of the liftarms 24 and 25 and a raising movement of the outer ends of the armswhereby to lift the airplane and support it in an elevated position fortransporting the same on the rollers IU. The airplane may thus be easilyand quickly moved about on the truck into a desired position in thehangar or factory.

The slides 3D and 3| are adjustable in the channels of the frame toaccommodate various types of machines having landing wheels spaced apartat different distances and also to compen sate for variations which mayoccur in the distances between the wheels resulting from a flat tire.

It is believed the details of construction, operation and advantages ofthe device will be readily understood from the foregoing without furtherdetailed explanation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A jack of the class described comprising an elongated Wheel supportedframe, a screw rising from the central portion of the frame androtatably supported thereon, a, carrier block mounted for verticalmovement on the screw, a pair of arms pivoted at one end on the blockand projecting oppostely therefrom, means pivotally and slidablysupporting an intermediate portion of the arms on the frame adjacent theouter ends of the latter, means at the outer ends of the arms adapted toengage and support an object, and means for actuating the screw. y

2. A jack of the class described comprising an elongated Wheel supportedframe, a screw rising from the central portion of the frame androtatably supported thereon, a carrier block mounted for verticalmovement on the Screw. a pair of arms pivoted at one end on the blockand projecting oppositely therefrom, slides carried by the frame towhich the arms are pivoted at intermediate portions, means at the outerends of the arms Iadmit-eci to engage and support an object, and meansfor actuating the screw.

3, A jack of the class described comprising an elongated wheel supporteddrame, a screw rising from the central portion of the frame androtatably supported thereon, a carrier block mounted for verticalmovement on the screw, a pair of arms pivoted at one end on the blockand project ing oppositely therefrom, slides carried by the frametowhich the arms are pivoted at intermediate portions, means at the outerends of the arms adapted to engage an'd support an object, and a, handwheel operatively connected to the screw for actuating the latter.

4. A jack of the class described comprising an elongated wheeled frameformed of a pair of channel members, cross members connecting thechannel members in spaced parallel relation with the open side of thechannel members arranged in opposed relation, a support rising from theframe, a vertical screw rotatably carried by the support, a carrierblock arranged to travel on the screw, a pair of arms pivoted at one end.to the block, slides having end portions positioned in the respectivechannel members and to which the arms are pivoted adjacent the outerends of the latter, means at the outer ends of the arms adapted forengaging and supporting an object, and means for manuallyoperating thescrew,

5. A jack for lthe landing wheels of an airplane and comprising anelongated frame, a pair of slides on opposite ends of the frame, a pairof lifting arms each including an inner section and a longitudinallyslidable outer section pivotally attached to one of the slides with theouter end of said sections adapted for engaging a part of the landingwheels, and operating means for the inner sections of the arms adaptedto simultane ously and uniformly actuate the arms.

FLOYD c. cULLsRsQ

